NCAA tournament: Wisconsin beats Arizona, heads to Final Four

The 7-footer carried Wisconsin to the Final Four with 28 points, including six in overtime, as the Badgers defeated Arizona 64-63 in a physical West Regional final Saturday night.

Kaminsky had 11 rebounds and scored from inside and outside, including three 3-pointers, for the No. 2 seed Badgers (30-7). It's Wisconsin's first Final Four appearance since 2000, and first for 69-year-old coach Bo Ryan, who earned his 704th career victory.

"We want a national championship now," Kaminsky said.

Kaminsky proved the only reliable scorer on a night when the rest of the Badgers disappeared offensively. Sam Dekker was 2 for 5, Ben Brust went 2 for 7, Traevon Jackson was 4 of 14, and Nigel Hayes was 2 of 8.

Johnson had the ball with a chance to win, but he missed a shot that launched just after the buzzer for Arizona (33-5), the top-seeded team in the West. Johnson led the Wildcats with 16 points, and Aaron Gordon had 18 rebounds in the relentlessly physical game.

It was the record-tying seventh overtime game of this year's tournament.

Johnson stood with his hands on his hips, staring straight ahead, while Kaminsky and the rest of the Badgers rushed to celebrate.

"I wish I would have taken one less dribble, get the shot off, give us a little chance," Johnson said.

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Jackson added 10 points for the Badgers, and Kaminsky was chosen as the West's most outstanding player, part of a breakout season for the junior.

Kaleb Tarczewski scored 12 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 10 for the Wildcats, who were trying to get coach Sean Miller to his first Final Four.

The first 40 minutes were a back-and-forth struggle, with neither team leading by more than three points over the final 12:09 of regulation.

Overtime was even more dramatic, with Arizona having an answer for just about everything Wisconsin did.

Kaminsky's jumper and a free throw by Josh Gasser gave Wisconsin a 62-59 lead. Tarczewski's two free throws and Jordin Mayes' tip-in drew the Wildcats to 64-63 with 58 seconds left.

T.J. McConnell's jumper missed, but Arizona got the offensive rebound and found Johnson, who missed and got called for the push-off on Gasser with 3 seconds left.

"I thought it was a really, really tough call," Miller said.

Wisconsin inbounded on the baseline, and a scramble ensued in front of Arizona's bench with 2 seconds left. The initial call gave the ball to the Badgers. The referees viewed replays for several minutes before deciding Wisconsin touched the ball last.

"It was the longest minutes of my life," Hayes said.

That call set up the final play, with Johnson unable to bail out the Wildcats.

"I knew he wasn't going to pass it with only two seconds on the clock," Gasser said. "It was a good battle out there, and fortunately, he didn't make a play there."

Police in Tucson said they shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets and threw beer bottles and firecrackers at officers after Arizona's loss. There were no immediate reports of injuries. A police spokesman said nine or 10 arrests were made.

ON
WISCONSIN
Frank Kaminsky, right, and the Wisconsin Badgers cut down the nets after surviving a thriller against Arizona, knocking out the top-seeded Wildcats in OT. The Badgers advanced to their first Final Four appearance since 2000.

Champing
at the bit
Forward Will Yeguete, left, and the Florida Gators won their 30th straight game to advance to their fifth Final Four. Florida has won its first four tournament games by double digits. Five of the last six teams to do that went on to win the title.